The present invention relates to worklights of the type having two or more worklight heads mounted on a portable base.
Portable worklights have proved useful in a variety of settings such as construction sites, industrial plants, automotive and auto body repair shops, artist and photographic studios, and around the home for do-it-yourself projects. These lights provide a high level of illumination over an extended area. In one format the lights are provided with a low built-in supporting base forming a stand that can be set directly on the ground or other work surface in a stable position. In another format the lights are intended to be set on a separate upright stand such as a tripod for greater height off the ground or work surface. Lights of this type are formed with a support frame that is adapted to be attachable to the tripod. Examples of such portable worklights are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,507 of Atkins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,278 of Grossman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,989 of Leen; and D381,114 of Xu.
Some attempts have been made to provide a convertible worklight that may be used in both ways—either mounted on a tripod support or as a stand-alone unit that can be placed directly on the work surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,358 of Hillinger, for example, discloses a light assembly with two quartz halogen worklight heads. Each head has attached legs that may be splayed apart to form a self-contained stand so that the individual light head may be used as a stand-alone unit. The legs may alternatively be folded together and inserted into a frame member that may be supported in turn on a vertical stand. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,213,626 and 5,205,645 show a single worklight head that has a foldable leg/bracket arrangement. With the legs unfolded the worklight head may be used as a stand-alone unit. The legs folded together form a supporting bracket that may then be bolted directly to an elevating stand. More recently, a convertible worklight unit has becomes commercially available under the trade designation. The Designers Edge that has a pair of quartz halogen worklight heads mounted on a framework that forms a stand permitting the pair of worklight heads to be placed as a unit directly on a work surface without the necessity of unfolding legs or brackets on the individual worklight heads. The stand is formed with a central aperture to permit the unit to be bolted to an elevating tripod.